Ethernet communications are a popular data network protocol used to carry frames of data. Ethernet communications are often used within local area networks to carry data between nearby computers as well as within wide area networks where the Ethernet may be carried through lower layer connections such as an asynchronous transfer mode (“ATM”) link. Ethernet communications allow for the transfer between end points of higher layer data packets such as Internet Protocol packets that are destined for a remote location such as a domain of the global Internet. The original Ethernet standards related to a protocol for accessing a shared communication medium. Over time this has evolved to a suite of protocols that are commonly used on symmetric point-to-point links between Ethernet switching devices. Ethernet protocols can also be encapsulated and transported over other protocols, e.g., Ethernet over ATM per RFC 1483.
Typically, an Ethernet network includes many closely located devices interconnected via the Ethernet protocol to form a local area network. Because the devices are located closely, there is a direct Ethernet connection between the devices since the distances are not greater than that possible over a direct Ethernet connection. However, some situations call for a node of an Ethernet network to be located remotely from the Ethernet network itself such that the distance is too great for a direct Ethernet connection to be utilized.
Ethernet service has been provided to certain customers having a point of service that is remote from the Ethernet network such that a direct Ethernet connection cannot be utilized. This Ethernet service is symmetrical and provides a relatively high bandwidth to subscribers in both the upload and download directions, but because this data transfer is symmetrical it requires a relatively high amount of bandwidth of a service provider network interconnecting the point of service to the Ethernet network. Thus, this symmetrical Ethernet service is not an economical option for many subscribers.